Apparatus for reclaiming fine (flour) gold from concentrates



W. M. CAUGHLAN APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING FINE (FLOUR) GOLQ FROMCONCENTRATES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i Maikr/Zduyfilan a HOMAA.

Filed Nov. 50, 1934 zmg APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING FINE (FLOUR) GOLD FROMCONCENTRA TES A Filed Nov. 50, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WIIHW II II HMPatented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING FINE (FLOUR) GOLD FROM CONCENTRATES Application November 30,1934, Serial No. 755,482

4 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inapparatus for reclaiming fine (flour) gold from concentrates.

The primary object of this invention is to provide apparatus for theextraction of fine gold from placer ground, crusher concentrates and thelike and particularly tailings from other machines embodying a pluralityof juxta-posed cells arranged at an inclination with means in each cellfor agitating and cutting the material and for conveying suspendedmaterial to a succeeding cell with the fine gold extracted from thematerial settling into a mercury cup removably attached to the lower endof the cell.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of theforegoing character with a vibrating arm in the settling chamber or cupof each cell to be operated by the cutter and material that is rotatablymounted in the cell for the the cell to effect the settling of goldflour and the flotation of dirt etc., and any entrained gold flour fordelivery to the succeeding cell.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus for reclaiming fine goldandillustrating a series of cells with inter-geared ground workingdevices in each cell;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing the apparatus arranged at aninclination with a washing screen fragmentarily illustrated above theapparatus;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View showing thejuxta-posed communicating cells and the devices for cutting, agitatingand feeding the material to a succeeding cell;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the lower end of onecell, showing a vibrating arm therein;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view through one of the cells, showing thedrive axle for the support of the material working elements with thelatter removed; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan View showing a series of cells withthe material working elements removed.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying .5-: drawings, theapparatus embodies a pair of side agitation of the material at the lowerendof irons or bars In between which a plurality of cells II aresuitably secured. Each cell is of semi-circular formation incross-section with adjacent edges of the cells contacting, or formedintegral with each other as illustrated in Fig. 3. A pair of guide ribs12 is carried by the upper face of each cell at the forward side thereofthat diverge from the center of the bottom of the cell to the forwardcorner and the bottom of the cell is transversely grooved as at I3 fordirecting material, such as gold powder or the like into the sump l4centrally of the bottom of the cell. The lower end of the stub I4 isexteriorly threaded for the reception of the cupshaped cap l5 having asealing gasket l6 therein and said sump is adapted to contain a desiredquantity of mercury as indicated at I! for the collection of gold powderor the like separated from the earthy material.

A rotary screen I8 is arranged above the cells II for the washing andgrading of material to be delivered to one end cell of the series, andthis screen and feed hoppers therefore constitute no part of the presentinvention.

The frame structure supporting the cells I I is arranged at aninclination as illustrated in Fig. 2, the lower end of the framestructure having a foot plate I!) pivotally attached thereto as at 2!]while the elevated end of the frame structure carries an elevating screw2| pivoted thereto as at 2| and working in the screw block 22 carried bythe stand 23. By adjusting the screw 2|, the inclination of the framestructure carrying the cells is regulated and the speed of flow ordelivery of the material through the apparatus is likewise controlled bythe degree of inclination of the frame structure.

Means is provided in each cell to act on the material received thereinand includes agitator members, a cutter device for disintegrating thematerial and a feed device or lifter for conveying the material to thesucceeding cell. As shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, each cellhas a shaft 24 journalled through the side walls thereof and rotatablein bearings 25 and 26 supported on the side bars Ill outwardly of thecells and upon which shafts, the earth-working devices are mounted. Acollar 21 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 that is hexagonal in cross-sectionis fixed to the shaft 24 by means of anchor devices, such as screwsthreaded in openings 28 in the collar 21 for engagement with the shaft24. However, it is to be understood that relatively short collars orbearings may support the earth working elements on the shaft 24 in viewof the full length of collar 21 shown in Figure 5. The earth workingdevices of any desired number are secured to the facets of the hexagonalcollar 21 and as shown in Figures 1 and 3, a cutting blade including abase strip 29 is suitably anchored to a facet of the collar 21 andcarrying a series of cutting blades 30 with a centrally positioned triparm 3|. A material conveying or lifting device for delivering thematerial to the succeeding cell is secured toa facet of the collar,substantially opposite the cutter member and is in the form of a plate32 angularly bent lengthwise thereof as at 33 and 34 to provide a pocket35 at one side for the reception of material delivered thereto from thepreceding cell and a lift face 36 at the other side for conveying thematerial to the succeeding cell, the relative positions of two liftplates in adjacent cells at the time of delivery and reception beingillustrated in Figure 3. A pair of agitators is secured to the collar21, one at each side of the cutter blade and each agitator includes abase strip 31 having twisted arms 38 projecting therefrom for theagitation of the material delivered to the cell Ii.

Blades are added and the incline raised or lowered for handlingdifferent types of gold, the coarse gold requiring more blades and lowerincline.

A resilient vibrating arm 39 is anchored at its lower end as at 40 inthe sump [4 of the cell and projects upwardly through the sump into thelower end of the cell to be engaged at its upper end by the trip arm 3!of the cutter at the outer edge of the lift plate 32 for the agitationof material at the lower end of the cell for the more effectiveseparation of gold therefrom.

The shafts 24 carrying the earth working devices are synchronouslydriven to cause the lift arms 32 to assume the relative positions shownin Fig. 3 with respect to adjacent edges of the cells I l and as shownin Fig. 2, each shaft 24 carries a gear wheel 4| on the projecting endthereof adjacent the shaft bearing 26 with a pinion 42 disposed betweenadjacent gears 4| to cause all of said shafts to rotate in the samedirection as indicated by the arrow line 43 in Fig. 3. Power may beapplied to any one of the shafts 24 for the simultaneous operation ofall of said shafts.

When the frame structure carrying the cells is inclined as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, the forward edge of each cell is higher than the rearedge and each cell is filled with water to the level of the rear edgethereof. The material to be treated is delivered into the lower cell Ilashown in Fig. 2 and is worked upon by the agitators and cutters in saidcell, the vibrating arm 39 also effecting agitation of the material atthe lower end of the cell. The outer edges of the agitators, cuttingblades and lifter blades move in proximity of the inclined ribs I! forfurther disintegration and agitation of the material, the gold dust andparticles separated therefrom being precipitated into the sump H forcollection in the mercury IT. The lift plate 32 rotates ina direction tocause the lift face 36 thereof to move the material upwardly in thefirst cell for discharge over the forward edge thereof into the pocketside 35 of the lift arms in the succeeding cell as shown in Fig. 3,where the material is treated in a similar manner and later delivered bythe lift face of the lift plate into the succeeding cell ll. Eachcupshaped cap I5 is removable from the sump I4 for the extraction of thegold from the mer-- cury therein. It is to be noted that the apparatusoperates in quiet water and the feed of material is due to lifters. Asstated, the ore is taken into the first cell, dropping upon the back ofthe lifter into the cell filled to a certain level with water. The goldbeing heavier, drops faster and reaches the grooved lower part of thecell. The material is then acted upon by the first row of agitatorswhich stir up the sediment, gold etc., and which tend to float thematerials other than gold into the next cell along with a decreasedamount of gold not taken up by the mercury in the sump of the firstcell. The material is then acted upon by the cutters which act todisintegrate the material and the third row of agitators tends to whirlthe material and sediment in the opposite direction from that set up bythe first series of agitators. Then the lifter blade lifts the materialand sediment to the next cell and deposits it upon the pocket face 35 ofthe succeeding lifter blade in the next cell. The sediment and the goldare worked up-hill under quiet water and no force or gravity feed oraction is utilized. For the finest gold, the incline is increased, thusworking the ore through the machine slower than when the incline isnearer level. The tailings are discharged from the apparatus at thepoint 44 shown in Figure 2.

It is difficult to operate with less than six cells, ten beingpreferable, and the number of turns per minute should be 18 (due to theweight of gold).

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believedthat the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent andwhile there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changesmay be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

I claim:-

1. In gold mining apparatus, a series of cells arranged at aninclination and communicating at their adjacent upper edges, independentmeans in each cell for effecting agitation, disintegration and feedingof material into a succeeding cell, and means for synchronouslyoperating the means in the cells, the feeding means in each cellincluding a blade angularly bent lengthwise thereof to provide areceiving pocket for material from a preceding cell and a lifting facefor feeding material to a succeeding cell, and a. vibrator arm at thelower end of each cell to be engaged by by the disintegrating andfeeding means.

2. In gold mining apparatus, a series of cells arranged at aninclination and communicating at their adjacent upper edges, independentmeans in each cell for effecting agitation, disintegration and feedingof material into a succeeding cell, and means for synchronouslyoperating the means in the cell, a sump at the lower end of each celland a mercury cup closing the lower end of each sump, the feeding meansin each cell including a blade angularly bent lengthwise thereof toprovide a receiving pocket for material from a preceding cell and alifting face for feeding material to a succeeding cell, and a vibratorarm at the lower end of each cell to be engaged by the disintegratingand feeding means.

3. In gold mining apparatus, a series of cells arranged at aninclination and communicating at their adjacent upper edges, independentmeans in each cell for effecting agitation, disintegration and feedingof material into a succeeding cell, and means for synchronouslyoperating the means in the cells, the feeding means in each cellincluding a blade angularly bent lengthwise thereof to provide areceiving pocket for material from a preceding cell and a lifting facefor feeding material to a succeeding cell, a shaft in each cellsupporting the means therein and the operating means including meshinggears and pinions interposed between the several shafts and geared topresent the free edges of the feed blades simultaneously at adjacentedges of tWo cells for the delivery and reception of material, and avibrator arm at the lower end of each cell to be engaged by thedisintegrating and feeding means.

4, In gold mining apparatus, a series of cells arranged at aninclination and communicating 20 at their adjacent upper edges,independent means in each cell for effecting agitation, disintegrationand feeding of material into a succeeding cell, and means forsynchronously operating the means in the cell, a sump at the lower endof each cell and a mercury cup closing the lower end of each sump, thefeeding means in each cell including a blade angularly bent lengthwisethereof to provide a receiving pocket for material from a preceding celland a lifting face for feeding material to a succeedingi cell, a shaftin each cell supporting the means therein and the operating meansincluding meshing gears and pinions interposed between the severalshafts and geared to present the free edges of the feed bladessimultaneously at adjacent edges of two cells for the delivery andreception of material, and a vibrator arm at the lower end of each cellto be engaged by the disintegrating and feeding means.

WALTER M. CAUGI-ILAN.

